ATLA: Ài's Beginning
by DepartmentOfYouth
Summary: The story of where my OC, Ài, loses her parents and finds her way to become part of the Southern Water Tribe with Sokka and Katara.
1. Chapter 1: Escaping Fire Fountain City

_This is the story of how my first OC character, Ài, met Sokka and Katara and became part of the water tribe. It also talks about her mother and father and the small invasion of the fire nation where they kill Katara's mother. If people like this I might actually post my full Avatar: The Last Air bender story. So enjoy ;D_

__**Chapter 1: Escaping Fire Fountain City**

It was midnight in the Fire Fountain City. All seemed to be peaceful as the towns people were sleeping but something had disturbed the peace. A man had fallen down and died from the intense bending from one of the fire guards. A woman was nearby, holding what seemed to be a sleeping child, was hiding in an alley way. She had tears pouring from her eyes from what she had just witnessed.

"There, that'll teach the thief" said one of the guards.

"Keep your eye out. There was also a woman and a child" said another guard.

The woman's eyes widened as she heard that they were still looking for her. She raced down the alleyway and headed towards the shore. But before she could think she accidentally tripped down a flight of stone steps, knocking down a couple of jars nearby. The guards looked around.

"The noise came from over there!" cried one guard.

"Heh. We've got her now" chuckled the second guard.

Without looking back, the woman continued her journey to reach the shore. Balls of fire had only missed her by centimetres as she raced for her life. The child she was holding squirmed as she tried to get comfortable in her mother's arms. She knew nothing of what was going on around her.

"Stop right now!" cried a guard.

The woman ignore him. She leaped into the bushes and hid in the dark where they could not see her. The guards stopped in their place and looked around for her. The woman knew that she couldn't keep running from them. No, this time she had to fight. She carefully put the child down onto the ground, making sure she was hidden in the bushes. The woman placed one last kiss on her forehead in case she may not live or survive the battle she was about to encounter.

"How could she have just disappeared?" said a guard.

"Not disappeared. Just hiding" said the woman.

She had leaped out of the bushes and started to shoot fire at the guards. One of the guards was too slow and got a face full of fire. He fell down to the ground holding his face in pain. The other guard growled and started to attack the woman.

"Chún, stop this and come quietly!" cried the guard.

"You killed my husband and are trying to kill me and my daughter. Do you expect me to come quietly?" Chún cried, charging fire in her hands.

"You were stealing from the towns people and you weren't allowed to have a child" said the guard "She must be killed"

"I'd rather die before I let my child lose her life"

Chún leaped at the guard and they began to fight. Fire was shooting out in each direction and they were rapidly punching and kicking each other. In the end, Chún kicked the guard in the face and with once last blow of fire she was able to hit him hard in the chest. The guard fell down to the ground with the other guard.

Just then, little hands held onto Chún's leg. She looked down to see the beaming face of her two year old child. Chún smiled and picked her up, craddling her to try and make her go to sleep again.

" Ài, you're safe now my sweet child" she smiled as they both walked down to the docks.

Little did Chún know, the first guard she had fought started to wake up. He watched her walking to a boat and placing Ài in the boat. With the last bit of strength he had he shot fire at Chún. The fire had hit her hard in the back and burned her badly. She fell to the ground as Ài looked down at her with a worried look.

"Mummy...?" she asked with concern.

Chún said nothing. She just shot another ball of fire and it hit the man in the face again. He rolled around the ground in pain. Chún quickly pushed the boat into the water and began to paddle out into the ocean. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't care. Her child was safe and even though she was wounded, they had escaped the dangers of what lied back in Fire Fountain City.


	2. Chapter 2: In the mind, body and heart

**Chapter 2: In the mind, body and heart**

The sun began to rise on the new day. Chún was laying in the boat, hugging Ài with what little blanket she had. She was still weak from her wound on her back. It started to bleed as she sat up to see where she was.

All that Chún could see was ocean water and some small ice burgs. There were no lands and she soon realised that she was no longer near the fire nation lands. She was safe for now, but she didn't know how long she was going to survive. More importantly she didn't know how long little Ài could survive.

Ài had woke up as well to see how her mother was. Chún quickly wrapped up her back so Ài wouldn't see the bleeding. She knows that Ài doesn't like the sight of blood.

"Morning dear" said Chún, trying to put on a smile.

Ài put on a big smile and waddled over to her mother. She couldn't walk properly due to being on the boat, but managed to give her mother a hug. Her wound stung her but she didn't care.

"Where?" asked Ài, trying to ask where they were. She couldn't talk properly yet but Chún knew what she meant.

"S-somewhere dear. Now I bet you are hungry right?"

Ài nodded quickly. She was usually hungry due to her parents being poor. But she was always happy with what she got and never asked for more.

Chún got out her pocket knife and sharpened the ends of one of the oars. Ài watched curiously as her mother waited over the water. When the time was right, she darted the oar fast into the water and pulled out a fish. Ài was shocked, but had a smile on her face. What her mother did was awesome.

"Again!" she beamed, clapping her hands.

"No dear. We have to cook it and you must eat." said Chún. "Now hold onto the fish"

Chún held the fish out to Ài. Her eyes just stared at the dead animal. She sighed and put her tiny hands on it, concentrating.

"Remember what we taught you Ài. Just put your energy into this"

Even with all her might, all Ài could do was make the fish slightly warm. Her fire bending wasn't strong enough to do the simplest task. She pulled her hands away, tears streaming down her cold, pink cheeks. Chún wiped them away and looked into her amber eyes.

"Can't...mummy" cried Ài.

"It's alright. You just need more practice" said Chún, giving a warming smile.

She placed one hand on the fish and instantly, it became dark and cooked. Chún then broke some of the fish up and helped Ài eat. After the fish was consumed, Ài crawled into her mother's arms.

"Okay?" asked Ài.

"I...am fine" lied Chún.

But of course she wasn't. A few days had passed and they both started to become weak with the lack of fresh drinking water. Chún's wound was starting to get infected by being open out to the salty water and air. The cold was also making them all weak and the fish were being scared away. They now had no food.

There had been a couple of times where they had to hide in the boat due to fire nation war ships passing by. Chún knew that they couldn't hide any longer, so she opened up her small pouch and attempted to write a letter. She knew what she had to do. She'd have to find the water tribe.

Just then, something had hit their boat. It was a fire ball, possibly from a nearby fire nation war ship. The boat nearly cap sided, making Chún fall into the water. Ài held onto the edge and managed to stay in the boat. Chún looked around and couldn't see where the fire was coming from.

"Mummy!" cried Ài.

Chún attempted to climb back into the boat but she had lost all her upper arm strength. Another fireball had shot out at her. Ài began to cry. All that Chún could do was try and steer the boat so with all her strength, she began to swim away from the fire balls. Eventually they began to stop, but Chún was losing all her strength. She felt that this might be the end.

"Mummy..."

Chún looked up into her child's amber eyes. The tears began to fall from her eyes again and land on her freezing cold cheeks. She wiped her tears away and sat up, kissing her gently on the forehead.

" Ài, you must continue to swim out towards the south. There you will meet a tribe. Befriend them, they are a water tribe. All the nations are our friends dearest" said Chún.

"Buh..."

"Now you must listen to me. I cannot continue on. You must learn that all these nations, Earth, Water, Fire and what is left of the Air nation are our friends. Though the Fire nation can't see it yet they will learn in time. You must help them see what is right.

Remember what I told you about your totem animal? Try and learn to find it. Get help and connect with your spirit. It will grow with you and help you through your life. Even when you connect with the spirit world you can connect to me.

Never forget Ài, I am always in you. In your mind, around your body and especially in your heart. I love you so much and nothing can change that. Your father loves you to sweetheart. Now go..."

With her last ounce of strength, Chún pushed the boat forward. Ài cried even more and tried to pull her mother out of the water. But it was too late. Chún closed her eyes and slowly sunk into the blue waters. She was gone, but she was no longer in pain.

Ài curled up into a ball, hugging onto the blanket her mother had given to her. She knew that she had to go to the water tribe but she felt confused and scared. All she could do was cry. Eventually she fell asleep in the boat, her eyes still puffy and red.


End file.
